Amaranthine
by shadowamypunk
Summary: When Shadow and Amy Rose are forced to work together on a mission to stop Eggman's newest evil scheme, they learn just how much time can either bring them together or tear them apart.
1. What's on your mind?

"Eggman's up to no good again so let's all work together to put a stop to his plans. We all know what to do and stick with your partner. Yes, that means you Amy. Now let's go!"

A darkly colored hedgehog gave a silent growl to himself as he stomped over the flashing beacons that ascended the celestial highway of an all too familiar site, the A.R.K. 'Sonic thinks he can get away with ordering around the ultimate life form? That pretentious hedgehog is fortunate I cooperate with him as often as I do, tolerating his competition when I could destroy him if I so chose.'

The unenthusiastic anti-hero paused at the top of the fluorescent slope before turning back to watch his uneager partner finally join him at the summit where they would advance towards the entrance located on the western exterior of the space station.

"Do you always choose the hardest missions, or is it because you are trying to scare me? Either way it's not going to work Shadow!"

A flushed, vibrant Amy Rose stood next to him, hands resting firmly on her hips, as they stared each other down with mutually frustrated expressions. The roseate young girl kept up her bitter attitude while the onyx hued male struggled to control his threatening postures and menacing scowl only to turn aside, blocking her view of anything but his upturned quills and backside.

'Foolish girl.' He kept his back to her, crossing his arms, while he adjusted his head sharply, quills waving back into place as a sharp cherry eye glazed at her. Amy shifted to rebalance the weight on her feet, impatiently waiting for an answer when she finally let out an inarticulate exclamation to try to force a response out of him. Shadow's eyelids lowered as he grunted in his usual husky, sober voice. "I wasn't the one to decide for us to work together every time we split into pairs."

Amy tossed her head away, walking to the side of the ramp to look down into the abyss of space surrounding them. "Well that's simple. Knuckles and Rouge work together because Knuckles is always ranting about how he doesn't trust her to be alone while the master emerald is unprotected, and Rouge enjoys the opportunity to tease him. Sonic always runs off with Tails to take Eggman head on, so that just leaves the two of us." Amy remarked, smirking to herself. "Besides, I get the feeling you would rather be forced into working with me than have Sonic beating you to the finish line every time." Shadow let out a deep interjection of discontent, making the soft pink damsel look back from leaning over the perilous ledge with a saddened expression. "Is it that terrible to be paired up with me so often?"

Shadow's eyes softened and his mouth parted to speak, when Amy tipped forward, floundering her arms in an attempt to rebalance as she began to fall into the depths of the out-worldly atmosphere. A shrill shriek escaped her when she was suddenly swept up against the solid mass of Shadow's chest and fur, their eyes meeting in panic. Amy's verdure pupils peered into Shadow's, the fear still shinning in her orbs, while his optics quickly covered up the momentary concern for her safety. The heated reddening of soft peach cheeks snapped her out of the momentary mind lapse, and remembering where her loyalties lay, she pushed herself apart from him as she began to brush out the hem of her dress in an attempt to try concealing her embarrassment. Shadow turned his head to the side, willing the flush out of his apricot muzzle.

"You should stay close. Your boots aren't magnetized and could easily allow you to fall to your demise."

Amy paused to look at him with deliberation before softly wrapping her limbs around his neck and jumping up into his arms nonchalantly, caught only by his instinct. Shadow stared down at her in shock, taking a step back to rebalance their weight while she smiled angelically, encouraging the flush to return in his cheeks. In a bubbly chaste voice, she articulated while bringing her face up to his, "You said I should stay close to you. This way I won't fall and you won't have to explain to Sonic what happened to me. Besides, you're strong Shadow, and I'm sure carrying me can't faze you, being the ultimate life form and all."

Shadow's muzzle was livid red. He had never been complimented this much before, especially by Amy Rose, or at least not enough to make him feel such a rise in his temperature, nor ego. His eyes struggled to find a more comfortable site than her pleasant looking visage, and at finally regaining composure, he kept his sights trained forward as he blazed his skates down the ramp to the encroaching station.

Even with the extra weight, Shadow moved efficiently, dropping to a one-armed hold only when he needed to Chaos spear an enemy or balance while skating down random pipes. He raced forward quickly, hitting magnet-alternating pads so fast Amy had no time to concentrate on one spot for long. While her bearer was concentrating on his mission, she had all the time in the world to scan the horizon. Far off to their right she could see Sonic and Tails speeding over staggered metal platforms as two shapes drifted past them, gliding towards the top of the enormous installation. Amy watched them in curiosity as Shadow let their bodies slowly revolve in an upward somersault to rest against another magnetic surface.

'It's Rouge and Knuckles.'

The silhouettes of white and red landed simultaneously, one with far more etiquette and grace than the latter, taking additional steps more reminiscent of a model strutting a catwalk while the larger, huskier form landed hard and immediately dashed forward to slam its' fist deep into the exterior. As the protective surface cracked open and the hull broke apart, small glistening fragments began dispersing into the starry skies, reflecting the light of space around the couple like distant fireworks littering a coral horizon. As Amy watched on, entranced and moving in Shadow's protective grip to see as much as she could, she noticed the sturdier male gently held out his palm to lower the feminine ivory beauty down into the crevice as glittery metal shavings swirled around them, enchanting the apricot hued scene with its magical dust. 'Knuckles really does have a crush on Rouge…. and I think the feeling's mutual from her. Is that why Sonic is letting them pair up, because he's trying to help out a friend?'

Amy looked up to Shadow who was still not casting so much as a glance down to her. 'Does he even know? Maybe… maybe Shadow likes Rouge too.' Amy felt her heart sink. She actually felt sick to her stomach at the thought that Shadow would want to be with Rouge. Ever since the perky adventurous girl met him, she felt some level of attraction for the recessive loner. Most of the time she left that to her mistaken identification of him, but after their moment in the A.R.K. she could never find that similarity to Sonic she once saw in Shadow. Each time they worked together Shadow stuck out from the crowd more and more until she caught herself watching the dark rival almost as much as she kept her eyes on her true blue hero. As Amy's throat tightened, she finally braved asking her battle partner to share his thoughts on the subject. "Shadow, do you think Knuckles and Rouge are… together?"

His eyes still trained forward, Shadow scowled at her voice. He was not much for _small talk_ and Amy was known for expressing herself, much to his current situational irritation. "Must we talk of this now? Yes, I'm sure they are advancing as a team."

Amy asked, sterner this time. "No, I mean_** together,**_ together. You know- when two people like each other and want to spend every minute of their time in the other's company."

Shadow gave her a tentative glance down before his skates propelled them onto another platform. "I would suppose Rouge does. She talks of him often and the echidna does complain of her enough to warrant one to think he has some level of emotions for her."

Amy continued her innocent stare up to his emotionless face, trying to watch his expressions carefully. "How does that make you feel?"

Shadow skidded to a halt before the panel they had landed on came to its treacherous end, closing his eyes and frowning. "We have no time for foolish discussions such as this. I could care less how those two feel for each other. As far as I am concerned he can have Rouge."

Amy blushed in guilt. She hadn't meant to aggravate the testy black hedgehog, but still felt compelled to keep questioning him. "So… you don't have those kinds of feelings for Rouge, right?" Amy waited, hoping he would answer one final question before shutting her out like usual.

Shadow's eyes pierced through her until she shifted nervously in his arms and he moved forward, silently. After the effects of Shadow's interrogative yet reprimanding glare passed, Amy finally dropped her head to watch her fingers play with the red dress hesitantly, when Shadow's gruff voice broke the silence. "I never felt any relation to these emotions for Rouge. She is an acquaintance and an occasional teammate, no more. Now, does that satisfy your undying curiosity?"

Slowly, her head lifted and Amy tentatively looked up to her self-appointed porter, delicately batting her eyelids during the extensive pause. Uncertain, but thinking it best to answer, she nodded her agreement and Shadow snorted an acceptance, taking off on the last of the scaffoldings to finally reach the door. Pausing to stand Amy upright, Shadow delicately lowered her feet to the surface before the entrance of the western port of the A.R.K. "You can run the rest of the distance with me. I don't see why I should be toting you everywhere when we both know you are capable of handling yourself."

Shadow blasted a Chaos Spear into the lighted pad on the door, triggering the opening mechanism, and strode forth into the massive access with his smaller blossoming companion trailing behind. After passing through the docking station, the pair of hedgehogs entered a dark passage, Amy following Shadow closely while keeping a hand outstretched to rest against one of his back spines, checking their distance to be certain he remained in front of her, or at least nearby.

"What about you and that other hedgehog."

Amy bumped into her leader, whom had suddenly halted to question her, arms pressing against him and the sudden compression forcing his quills to lower at the contact of their bodies. Amy minced backwards in the darkness, clearing her throat in a nervous state as Shadow took an immediate step toward her to urge a response. "I, um, I don't know what you mean."

She couldn't find him in the lack of light, but she felt his presence getting near, almost closing in. "Your own feelings on that adventurous blue hedgehog. You asked mine, now I want to know yours."

Shadow's voice rang out in the obscurity like a disembodied soul, or worse, her own subconscious asking her true thoughts of the topic. She felt as if he had waited for just this moment to ask, knowing that she could never see his reaction. Shadow always remained so distant, so guarded, that she was now certain he planned this route on purpose. Amy's mind reeled at the dark anti-hero actually caring to know the details of her and Sonic's status quo, but most importantly, her thoughts on it. In the pitch of the dark, their bodies lost together within it, Amy's voice delicately spoke out in honest clarity.

"I don't know anymore. So many years have passed that he hasn't acknowledged me in any way besides a friend. I have doubts now that he will ever return my feelings, but that doesn't mean I don't still love him, or I won't give up hope."

The deeper, masculine voice pierced the dark as the sound of a metal shoe approaching her rang out. "And nothing will change your outlook on the situation?"

Amy's answer came sooner than she had anticipated. "Anything could. Sonic could. I could. You could." Her mouth slammed shut at her last sentence, knowing she went too far. It happened each time they worked together, someone stepped past the unspoken line of indifference and Amy always ran from it, but this time there was nowhere she could run.

Once more, the all too close voice of Shadow rang out. "Then prepare yourself." Amy felt a hand reach through the darkness to touch her hip, somehow making contact with the male's intended placement. As his arm reached around her waist, Amy lifted her hand, hoping to touch his chest or muzzle, when she felt the force of speed and her body being flung up into his arms. She breathed out sharply, bewildered by the sudden turn of events, and after exiting the illusive tunnel, could see flickers of Shadow's face in the pulsating emergency lights, the only energy left to the abandoned ship that was not all but a husk of its original quality. Something in her opinion must have changed, because Amy could not find the flaws in her captor she always remembered in prior moments of weakness, and she suddenly felt a light pang in her chest. Through all the denial and purposeful fighting Shadow had slipped into her heart with Sonic. 'What am I going to do now?'


	2. Falling for you

Shadow moved proficiently through the A.R.K. passages and alcoves, some Amy doubted had ever been seen by anyone else still alive, but she didn't think of them as much as her thoughts now dwelled on the dark hedgehog carrying her. 'If I had known this would happen, I would have avoided it somehow. I cannot give up on Sonic, I just can't. I've waited so long and-'

Another awakening to reality passed over her when she realized Sonic never spent time with her anymore. He let her come along somewhat reluctantly as a partner in Tails absence during their childhood, and he often came to her rescue, but lately, even with Tails going solo at random, Sonic worked with everyone but her. 'He's been trying to get me to let go, and even if he doesn't think I would fall for someone like Shadow, Sonic wants me to get distracted by him. '

Amy's beautiful emerald-green eyes maintained placement on the place where her suitor's face would appear between the flashes of bright lights searing the darkness of space. Her daunt caused by his flaring red eyes, gone. The annoyance at Shadow's cotton white patch of fur, and how its soft airy wisps would catch her eye every time they flounced in the breeze, dispelled. The indifference for his toned figure, glossy black fur, and sleek crimson stripes- now attraction. His mysterious nature and lack of socialization had previously grated her temper -utterly fascinating. She had lied to herself every day. The qualities she disliked in Shadow all along were actually appealing to her. Sure, she loved every detail of Sonic excluding his level of disconnect with her, but Shadow too had stood out in the crowd and now was the equal running mate for her affections who suddenly had taken the advantage.

Screeching to a halt at a familiar entryway, Shadow let Amy down before him, patiently waiting behind her as she scanned the room in wonder. The space station was even more rundown, showing its decades of wear and tear, but the view of the world before her was still awe-inspiring as ever. Amy entered the bay, Shadow walking behind her attentively, and as she slowly approached the window, he sauntered over to a familiar perch, looking down upon the site with her.

"This is where- where we first really knew each other." Amy stated, not entirely sure.

Shadow gazed to her with a silent nod, changing to a reserved expression while he mused over long past memories, glancing upwards and far past where Earth lay. "You got through to me here. Made me remember things I had forgotten from the past."

"Maria." Amy voiced.

"And you." Shadow breathed, showing the faintest hint of a smile from his mouth. "So many times this place has brought us together."

Amy looked to him confused. "What do you mean? We have only met here twice, and this time we are only talking of the past."

Shadow turned back to face her, his stoic posturing resumed. "The past can make all the difference." An arm reached out for her waist once more, bringing her closer as the other hand rested against her cheek, forming his fingers to the contours of her chin and neck. "When I saw you here, trying to make me believe in the human race again, there was something I wanted to do. I want to finish what I had intended." His expression was indecipherable while he left the remaining separation between them, waiting for some unforeseen signal and refusing to complete the action, when Amy tilted forward to diminish the unclosed space between them.

"What is it Shadow?"

She was silenced by a pair of tan lips, her eyes drifting shut to match his already shaded lids. Shadow continued to keep his embrace sparing while her softly furred arms wrapped around his neck, holding him tighter. Amy lost all control in their contact, Sonic shoved far from her mind, as she melted against his fur and tentative pull of his arms slipping around her hips, only to push her away, leaving her flustered and longing to keep the feverish connection.

"We should be moving forward." Shadow turned away quickly, leaving the room behind without so much as a glance behind him.

Amy stood there mystified as she blinked in perplexity, mouth still agape and opened further at his rapid exit. 'What was that all about?!'

Hurriedly, the emotions-stricken pink girl chased after the ostentatious sable male as he continued to depart the area, hardly slowing his gait back to their original mission route, while she fumbled with what to say.

"What- why- Why did you do that?!" Amy choked out, not so much upset as bemused by the domineering hedgehog.

Shadow smirked in the low level light. "You said I could change your perspective on your feelings for that hedgehog, so I did and no more. Clearly you are not done with your infatuation for him and until you are I will not put myself so boldly out there to be harmed."

'Harmed? You mean… you care for me Shadow the Hedgehog?' Amy stopped walking to think over what she was beginning to grasp. 'All this time… how foolish am I? I never saw what was right before me for all these years!' Racing back to his side she continued to struggle to find the words to say aloud to her partner, searching around occasionally for some answer while he amusedly sauntered back to the nearest point of their planned line of attack.

"I am most certainly not infatuated, I mean, well… not so much anymore. You, YOU! You are confusing me, and if you like me so much then just sweep me off my feet and be done with it!"

She felt her arm grabbed, and Amy was pulled to face him, a finger pressing her lips shut and cutting off her statement. His eyes intense, he stared into hers, this time the singe of malice not overbearing the little glint of affection he had always concealed in them before, giving Amy another wave of thrill at his contact. "Quiet. We can discuss this further after we complete the mission."

Letting her go, Shadow stared her down to make his point clear before kneeling to spin dash into a door, knocking it into a facing wall. Immediately, laser rounds went off as Amy watched him disappear left and could hear the sound of his quills slicing through the metal robots sure to be not far down the hall. Pulling her mystical piko-piko hammer from obscurity, she blindly charged forward, aggressively taking out three of the enemies joining the foray against Shadow from the right. Amy guarded their rear as her newly appointed protector continued their rush, taking out every sign of trouble coming for them. She turned an eye his way between the rushes from opponents and lulls of searching for the best route, mulling over his actions. 'He's more thorough than usual. Most of the time he just speeds through like Sonic, but now it is as if he doesn't want to leave anything to chance. That's definitely not Shadow's style.' Amy concentrated to smash two attack bots into one of the nearby walls, making the metallic surface ring out in a low drone. 'I'll bet he's protecting me!' Her battle-hardened edge faded into a doting expression as her jade orbs glittered and eyelids lowered into a soft flutter before battering another enemy. 'Maybe he does care.'

Shadow's heinous self-satisfied grin could be seen as he stepped forth from the dimly lit passage into a grand hall where he was sure they would find additional power-ups to reenergize. 'Damn things never stood a chance against the likes of me.' He strut over to a pile of nearby boxes, when Amy grabbed his arm, causing him to flinch dangerously, but instantaneously after contact knew only Amy would be so bold as to touch him and immediately turned to look at her, crimson pupils simmering into a pleasing calm.

"You were protecting me!" Amy rang out, louder than necessary.

"I was doing my part of the assault, no more." Shadow protested. "I always take on most of the assailants, seeing as you continue to use that childish weapon." He turned away once more, sliding down from a sweeping kick into a jump flip to annihilate the tiered boxes and retrieve their stowed away items.

"Argue all you want, but we both know you were trying to help me out more than usual." Amy preached as Shadow passed her half of his retrieval. Taking them without thought, she reached out to receive the rings and power assisters being handed to her, thanking him and beginning to tuck them away when she suddenly blinked down to her tokens, looking up to him as she grinned in bravado. Shadow finished placing the last of the rings into his jet-shoes and stood, dusting himself off after straightening his quills, when he turned to see her watching him with a flirtatious blare to her. Searching for meaning, his distrustful eyes darted to his sides before continuing his stare back in defensive wonder, when she strolled up to him, murmuring into his ear before passing by to move ahead. "I knew you cared."

Amy continued on, swinging her hammer playfully in victory, as Shadow took his turn to stay behind, standing there discomposed, the flush still firm on his cheeks. Shaking his head to the side to drive the distraction away, he looked up to the large picturesque viewing wall and stared in disbelief until he began to realize what was happening.

"Amy!"


	3. I'm loosing you

Amy was forced up against his physique again as Shadow jet-propelled them through corridors away from the central region of the A.R.K. Getting over the initial stun of being bundled up within his grasp once more, her dismay changed to a coy smirk at him.

"If I didn't know any better I would think you _**liked**_ toting me around everywhere." Giggling lightly as she shimmied deeper into his clutches.

Shadow smirked mutely as he drove on, watching her expressions more than their surroundings. 'Chichi little girl, you are so boastful. I give you a taste of my affections and you latch on like a harpy… my own little sharp-tongued shrew with the purity and grace of the most beautiful inamorata to ever exist.' Shadow's smirk teased up into a momentary half-grin. 'Though I doubt you will ever be charmed enough to hear my true feelings for your angelic rosy soul.'

His orbs were harnessed by the impending disturbance rapidly approaching, Shadow shifting his trained intellect to concentrate on the task at hand as even Amy felt some sense of apperception to the encroaching sounds of metal whirs and the crackling of electricity hidden behind the oversized alloy ingress.

An explosion of quills barreled through the expansive gateway, shattering the metal chassis of the hull and blasting shrapnel and plastic shards across the platform attached to the establishment where the real threat awaited. Shadow's figure rose from the plumes of smoldering ash and dust smelting to the bridge, the malevolent animosity in his expression visible as he seethed air through his teeth. Meanwhile, Amy emerged from the dust near him, sweeping her own weapon up from the cloudy haze surrounding them, preparing for battle and stepping away to clear room for the vindictive dark combatant's tirade.

Eggman watched their dramatic entrance, an amused chuckle shaking his portly frame. "Ah- ho, ho, _**Ho!**_ Shadow! I must say I am surprised to see you here, and with Amy Rose no doubt! However will I hold up against the likes of you two working together in unison!"

The snarl on the deviant hedgehog's muzzle shifted, releasing a guttural rumble from his chest as he stalked up the balcony, shaking the foundation with a pounding smash of alloy heel striking galvanized steel with each step he took.

"Do not trifle with me doctor! I am not one who takes enjoyment in your pathetic attempts of humor." Shadow threatened as he neared the mad genius, observing the equipment the evildoer had surrounding him. Far out on the terrace, a large device resembling a gyroscope balanced, the design looking more reminiscent of the planet Saturn than any form of a ship aside from the personal escape pod designed in Eggman's self-image, where he squat within the middle of the machinery. Located just behind the power hungry malcontent were a set of conduits displaying within them all several Chaos Emeralds. The serrated-edged rims of the outer rings began to circle faster as Shadow moved in, Amy running up to join, and preventing the hedgehogs from entering.

"What will we do now?" Amy yelled to Shadow over the whir of the speeding metal bands passing before them. Shadow remained silent, looking back to see five of their archenemy's creations advancing towards them, preventing any attempts to reach the inner portion of the outcropping. Shadow's head jerked towards the onslaught, signaling to his female partner to assist in their takedown as he formulated a plan. Shoes blazed as he dodged past two of them to take on the three straggling bots, dashing into the last and exploding it hard against the hull.

"Amy, use the robots to our advantage!" Shadow called to her, slamming one into the rings and knocking the device off balance permanently from its explosion. Amy grinned snidely as she brought her hammer back to swing, hammering two into each of the halos and adding to the damage now throwing the machine into a reverberating grind that began to shake the whole expanse. Shadow's spin-dash struck one into the last undamaged band, knocking the android hard against it, and tipping the entire machine to its edge, much to Dr. Robotnik's dismay.

With one mechanized assailant left to use and the rings still spinning too sporadically for anything to get through to the real hazard, Shadow broke his skates next to Amy, evaluating the last of their options. Looking down to his petite accomplice, Shadow briefed her. "This strike has to count. I'm depending on you."

Amy's eyes stared wide after him as he sped up to the final robot engaging the heroes and struck it with a bolt of chaos, kicking it her way to allow her one last chance to break them through.

'He's depending on you Amy Rose, don't let him down.' The pink hedgehog rallied herself, taking a calming breathe before smashing the frivolous hammer against the frame of the android's chest.

Shadow rejoined her to stand by her side, both watching intensely as the mechanoid broke apart against the outermost ring, releasing its power packs from inside, impacting every band and causing minor explosions to quickly grind the whole gyrating contraption to a halt.

Amy squealed to Shadow, hugging him in a rapid embrace before jumping over the previously blocked space to take her victorious gloat to the infuriated miscreant within. Shadow looked after her as he stepped forth, an unseen smile in his expression while his eyes complimented her proficiency. 'It's amazing how much potential she has to offer when she believes in herself. If only the others knew.'

"You think you can best me, foolish girl?! You have yet to see my inventions true power!" Eggman badgered, slamming his fist hard against a trigger as the inner working of the machine charged with the power of Chaos around him. "I'll be seeing each of you in the past! And don't worry, I'll be sure to see to it that you never get in my way again, permanently!"

From the top of the machine, a ring of intense blue light circled down around him, sparking energy as it slowly closed in towards his compartment housed within the inner workings of the supposed time-traveling device.

"We can't let him win!" The spry heroine shrilled out, sprinting forward to try and reach the cab of the potential murderer before he transported while Shadow flared his skates to try to beat her inside to their adversary, when the beam connected with both their bodies midair as they launched forward, just within the edges of where Robotnik had prepared to strike.

Amy's screams pierced the emptiness surrounding them, covering Shadow's low howls of pain from the arching electrical shocks as their bodies drifted away from the base of the machine to circle in the sky where two vortex portals were quickly forming.

Amy's eyes teared as she pulled her lashes apart to search for her partner, eyelids still squinting in agony. Upon seeing his figure of dark black fur racing with static pulses nearby, she reached out in an attempt to grab his hand, Shadow returning the act with visibly agonizing strain as bolts of energy passed between their ever-distancing fingers. His face contorted painfully as he stretched his arm out one last time as hard as he could, putting all of his remaining effort into one final moment of contact before missing the tips of her glove by millimeters, a lone beam of the electric blue current arching between their fingertips. Shadow body went lax as he dropped his hand and sunk his head in defeat, giving into the force that was ripping him even further away from her.

"Shadow, I'm sorry I never realized before. I love you!" Amy screamed, pulled farther from him and thrust into the swirling portal behind her.

"Amy!" Shadow bellowed after sharply sucking a breath into his chest to call out to her as he was dragged elsewhere into his own violently static-charged torrent.

Robotnik bellowed in defeat as the couple disappeared in a brilliant flash and the sky began to clear above him, energy dispersing as the drone of the machine winded down to deadening silence. Eggman stared into the sky, a wayward expression on his face until his mustache contorted above his snarl and he stared at the panel below him, punching in keys to find the answers to what exactly happened to the two hedgehogs. His grimace increased as he read over the machines outputs and rationalized his conclusion, pounding his fist against the metal bracings.

"NO!"


	4. Do I knew you?

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!"

A pained distant scream filled the surrounding air, intensifying as the lights flickered and the room grew dark with the cracklings of heated blue electricity, when the ceiling was gradually clouded over by a dark swirling vortex. Just as the devoid expanse swelled to edges of the hall, a pink hedgehog girl rapidly descended out of the center of the portal only to slam against the metal panels of the floor harshly. The sole occupant of the room rushed to the young female's aide, afraid to touch her but reaching out when she scrambled to stand, wobbling on her legs unsoundly as he hesitantly supported her weight. Her lime, trauma-dilated pupils came to focus on his face, her sight remaining blurred until she shook her head and blinked away the temporary blindness. She looked to him in familiarity as she spoke in an exhausted, weak voice.

"Shadow, please, help me-" Her emerald orbs rolled back as her lashes flittered shut before falling into the arms of the one standing before her, unconscious.

Aghast, he stood there, supporting the peculiar female in his arms before he realized the urgency of the situation and rushed her to the only person he could think of that might try and help her, maybe helping him understand what had just transpired in the process.

'How did she know my name?'

* * *

Meanwhile, as Amy was thrown into her own odyssey, another portal opened up to land it's occupant on unfamiliar grounds. Bashed fiercely into the sunflower speckled grassy field, Shadow's body imprinted deep against the pastured surface, his body recoiling from the shock of its sudden halt. He groaned painfully as he lay on his back in the lush grasses, rubbing his pounding forehead and temples to help clear his mind from the experience. 'How many damn times must I take a fall like this before I can't get up anymore? This is getting exhaustive and the habit utterly tiresome.'

Gradually, the male stood to his feet, holding his head to ease the dizziness while he almost fell forward in the process of standing, an arm quickly flying out to distribute his mass. He stumbled his feet underneath his teetering frame, concentrating on balancing to keep from faltering anymore, when his legs suddenly gave out and toppled him over backwards into the concealing field once again, a leg flying up above the plants during his collapse. Debilitated by his second recent impact, he lay there with a weary frown of frustration forming upon his muzzle as he remained hidden in the breeze-shifting grasses, appreciating how no one could see his ultimacy in such a weakened state, when a familiar laugh approached his ears. Before he could even finish scowling, his head bean to throb and he passed out with an agitated grumble…

'That could not be…!'

* * *

A pair of feminine eyelids wavered open, trying to clear their vision of the hazy blur surrounding her, but all she could see was the outline of a black figure with a pair of glossy red pupils staring down at her. While the image cleared, a voice reached out from somewhere nearby.

"Shadow, do you think she's finally waking? Oh, look! Are you alright dear?"

Amy Rose groaned as she sat up, rubbing her eyes, while a bright-eyed, unsullied Shadow helped her sit up, looking back to her other attendant. "Maria, do you think she will fully recover? It sounded as though she fell from some distance."

Shadow looked back to Amy, his softer, innocent mannerisms stunning the female hedgehog he supported in his arms, while a girl, blonde with a sweetened disposition, lifted a dampened rag to Amy's forehead and wiped a scratch near her temple. "I'm sure she will be fine Shadow, if she's anything like you that is. Imagine what grandfather will think when he sees her! A girl hedgehog appearing out of thin air- how exciting!"

The younger Shadow grew tensely quiet; his eyes dropping to the side after shooting a quick glance to Amy, unable to keep from watching her while blush ran over his cheeks, forcing him to look down bashfully.

Maria sat beside the pair of anthropomorphic animals, smiling to her young black-furred friend as she placed one hand on his head in assurance, the other reaching out to lie upon the pair of gloved peach hands resting in Amy's lap and patting them to construe her attention on the recently arrived patient. "No need to be shy Shadow. Soon enough, I'm sure our new friend here will feel better than ever!"

Shadow gave a nod up to his human companion, satisfied, before they both turned to look to the disoriented pink girl in anticipation.

"Well, how do you feel?" Maria questioned, Shadow awaiting an answer vigorously, when Amy fainted again into the younger-than-she-was-used-to male's arms.

* * *

"Hey stranger! Why are you lying here like that?"

A chuckling sound could be heard and Shadow's eyes flew open to leer into pair of chartreuse pupils, recognizing them immediately. "Sonic." He spoke tartly.

"Yup, that's my name, Sonic the Hedgehog! Though I can't say we've met before. What's your name?" Sonic reached out to help the older male up, but Shadow resentfully pulled his arm away before he could even be touched, refusing to let this annoying, smaller version of his rival help him in any way.

"Geez, don't say I never offered to help you out. If I didn't know any better I would guess you're up to no good like that crazy Eggman, but you don't look too dangerous."

'How _**dare**_ you say that you little…' After he stood to his feet and covered any sign of weakness from his deadly fall, Shadow searched around the area, trying to recognize the location, but nothing looked familiar besides the pesky blue child tapping his foot before him. 'Obviously I am somewhere in the past with a younger Sonic, but where could Amy have possibly gone?'

"Amy Rose." Shadow retorted, his question sounding less threatening but still caustic enough to get a stern look from an immature Sonic, causing him to grow more aggravated with the stouter blue speedster by the minute.

"Oh, I don't know. Probably playing with her fortune cards somewhere around here." Sonic mumbled, less enthusiastically then his prior statements. They both had successfully set a terrible first appearance with each other by their opposing introductions, and had made it extremely clear there was no friendship to be shared between the two, Sonic now reluctant to give Shadow the tiniest bit of information. The sprite hero took a taunting stance before departing in his usual, hasty manner. "In case you haven't heard I am the fastest thing on Earth. If I find out you are here to cause anyone, including Amy, trouble you're going to have to deal with me!"

Shadow scowled into the dust cloud left behind by the younger male shredding away, not in the least amused by his exit. 'That fool hardy hedgehog doesn't change much over time.'

Immediately Shadow began searching for his intended, checking every place he could think of until he found a small hedgehog girl playing alone in a patch of shortened grass. As he walked up to her he cleared his throat, hoping to avoid scaring the young animal child as he often did to human children during his own time. "Excuse me, but I am searching for someone. She would be pink with-"

Shadow's eyes went wide for the first time since he could remember. The girl smiling up to him looked just like his lost female, aside from the sharper quills and mismatched clothing. When he didn't think his expression could get any more dramatic, the younger Amy Rose jumped up and hugged herself firmly to his waist, his jaw briefly gaping from the shock.

* * *

Separated by time and space, the transported Amy Rose and Shadow had the same words runs through their mind an equal period from their chronologic departure.

'This cannot be happening to me.'


End file.
